Results 1,201-1,220 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Seanad: Moore Street Area Renewal and Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: It is impossible to appeal to Senator O'Brien's better nature.

Seanad: Moore Street Area Renewal and Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: He clearly does not have a better nature. It is impossible to appeal to it.

Seanad: Moore Street Area Renewal and Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Senator O'Brien cannot help himself. He has to turn the issue into a political football.

Seanad: Moore Street Area Renewal and Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: It is disgraceful.

Seanad: Moore Street Area Renewal and Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: That is infantile.

Seanad: Moore Street Area Renewal and Development Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Senator O'Brien should follow the leadership of Senator Mark Daly who has at least contributed to the entire process up until now.

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank Deputy McGrath for giving me the opportunity to address the issues associated with the Bill he has published. The provision of sustainable water services is of critical importance to citizens and the economy of our country. As Members will be aware, modernising and improving water services delivery in Ireland is a key policy objective in the programme for Government. The...

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: This development was another milestone along the road to achieving a single, standardised national service throughout the country, with a greater focus on those who use the public services. Such progress would not have been possible without strong co-operation between Irish Water and local authorities, which have decades of experience of providing water and wastewater services with great...

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The utility surpassed its end of year target in 2014 six weeks ahead of schedule, and is delivering a programme that is sustaining approximately 1,050 jobs throughout the country, providing the kind of economic stimulus we need. Some 80% of these jobs are held by people in one of three social inclusion categories, namely, the unemployed, employees of small and medium enterprises, or...

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I too welcome the students in the Visitors Gallery, including the teachers, some of whom I recognise. I thank all Members who have contributed to this debate. As I outlined earlier, the Government cannot support the Bill tabled by Deputy McGrath. Although I appreciate the sentiment behind the Bill, as I have already stated, the legislative and policy framework put in place by this...

Direct Provision Report: Motion (12 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the report by the joint committee. Although important in itself, this will aid in the decision process to be engaged in by Government in the context of recommendations to be made in the forthcoming report of independent working group on improvements to the protection process, including direct provision and supports for asylum seekers. I understand that report will be presented to...

Direct Provision Report: Motion (12 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. As I said previously, this is one of the issues that goes beyond politics in this House. I have been impressed by the level of interest that Deputies and Senators from different parties have taken in this discussion on this area of direct provision. However, references to welfare fraud do not help when we are discussing the issue of direct...

Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank Deputies Coppinger, Higgins and Murphy for bringing this Private Members' Bill before the House. Deputies will be well aware of my strong convictions on the need to amend section 37(1) of the Employment Equality Act 1998. I entirely agree with the Deputies proposing the legislation that it is wrong to discriminate or exclude people from employment or to deny them services under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Migrant Integration (16 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 435 and 442 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a call for applications for funding will be made shortly. The full details of the call, including the level of funding, have not yet been finalised but I can say that it is likely that projects will be of more than one year's duration.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes (16 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy Budget (16 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: In line with the National Drugs Strategy, the Department of Health administers a Drugs Initiative which primarily funds community based drugs initiatives supported by Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. The budget allocation for the twenty four Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces for each of the years referred to by the Deputy is set out in the table. LDATFs 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy Implementation (16 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: As Minister with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, I will be leading the development of the Drugs Strategy for the period after 2016. My intention over the coming months is to lay the groundwork for a concise and focused policy, placing a clear emphasis on the practical implementation of actions. This work will include an assessment of the extent to which the current...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes (17 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: There is a problem with street injecting in Dublin and elsewhere. This creates a public nuisance, and is unhygienic and unsafe for drug users. Supervised Injecting facilities exist in a number of other countries and it is a policy I am very interested in. I recently received a draft legislative proposal from Ana Liffey and the Bar Council's Voluntary Assistance Scheme which would allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Misuse of Drugs (17 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: In September 2014, the HSE, in partnership with a local voluntary service provider, the Housing First service and An Garda Síochána set up an assertive case management programme to engage with a high-risk cohort who are involved in anti-social behaviour and/or public drug use. The pilot programme aims to provide shared care planning for these individuals, who have complex needs, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (23 Jun 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The draft national programme under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, which is being considered by the European Commission, will be circulated to the partnership of non-governmental organisations and other relevant interests, established in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council, within the next week. While it is not known precisely...